tilted behaviour

The last two days I have been covering the last donkament for the series with 2,818 players taking to the felt for Event 54 – $1,500 No Limit Hold’em.

To be honest . . . it ran like every other donkament so far this WSOP with a few pros making the money while many exited early. The one point of note was that Men ‘The Master’ Nguyen registered his 65th WSOP cash to edge closer to Phil Hellmuth’s impressive 74-cash record.

Tomorrow . . . another day off . . . and the event we’ve all been waiting for . . . The Rumble Nowhere Near The Rio between Melissa Castello and Liv Boeree!

Liv Boeree and Melissa Castello squaring off at the weigh-in
(photo courtesy of Gene Bromberg)

A beautiful Sunday in Las Vegas and it was time to hit the shops with Mat.

We caught a lift with Eric into the Rio and took a cab straight downtown to the Premium Factory Outlets. Once there we hit every store from Adidas to Nike to Polo Ralph Lauren to FCUK.

I picked up two US$39 Polo Ralph Lauren polo tops for Mum and Dad, while picking up a pair of FCUK patterned shorts, Adidas Samba’s and some cool glasses for myself before heading to lunch. After Mat ticked off a few items on his shopping list we ventured over to Fremont Street so that he could taste the Downtown experience first hand!

We walked round scoping a few of the casinos before taking a seat on a Pai Gow table at the Golden Nugget to fill in time before watching the Fremont Street light show after the sun went down.

Mat eventually called it quits to play a $65 tournament while I continued to grind Pai Gow. Two young ladies took up seats to my left while two Cougars took the empty ones on my right.

One Cougar left while the rest of us started to chat and get to know each other while winning a few hands here and there. Eventually one of the younger ladies had to return to her family while I decided to make way with my $130 profit for the long session.

However both Shay and the remaining Cougar wouldn’t let me leave as I was bringing them ‘good luck’ . . . consequently it would be three hours later before I actually left the table and a further $50-odd had been added to my profit tally thanks to a few bonuses I had picked up from both the girls.

Mat and I checked out the light show before I donked off $100 at Binion’s on a $1 roulette table in four spins before returning to the Golden Nugget and a $10 Craps table.

11 minutes later, following a hot roll, I had pocketed $205 profit and we were off home after a great day Downtown.

Following a nice degen gambling session last night and a terrible ending to a potentially life-changing tournament, I was back at work covering Event 48 – $1,500 Pot Limit Omaha Hi/Lo 8-or-better (sigh to the split game aspect, but yeah to the pot limit part).

The field was fairly stacked and included Matthew Burgoine; one of the Tournament Director’s from back home and also one of the faces behind Australia’s first free poker training sites called Insane Poker Crew.

Day One was expected to be fairly slow, but I seemed to fill the blog with a fair few hands and few small colour pieces – and having some notables like Phil Hellmuth, Brandon Cantu, Perry Friedman, Noah Boeken, Lee Watkinson and Lee Markholt go through, it made it all a lot easier.

Day Two flew fairly quickly as it ended before the 3am cutoff, with Brandon Cantu a whopping chip leader with nearly a third of the chips in play (which he held since there were 25 remaining or so)!

F-Train joined me for the final table, and after two quick bustouts in the first 15 minutes we were thinking this could be a repeat of the APT Manila Final Table. However a few doubles here and quarters there and it was an hour later.

We lost another before Cantu’s stranglehold on the chip lead and his second bracelet was chopped up in a three-way all in pot. Watkinson, arguably one of the best tournament Omaha players in the world, started to use his years of experience to take the chip lead before we lost another.

No five-handed deal could be settled on, and just like that we lost another, and then another to leave the Frenchman in an intense battle between Cantu and Watkinson. Cantu took the chip lead back before Watkinson said Au Revoir to the Frenchy and we were heads up!

Watkinson held a near three-to-one advantage on Cantu, and once that had slipped out to a six-to-one it seemed like déjà vu for Cantu after falling in second to Ray Foley in Event 39. However Cantu made a spirited comeback first doubling with a flopped set and then quartering Watkinson to snatch the chip lead and a two-to-one advantage.

Cantu would then end Watkinson’s tournament with trip fours to Watkinson’s mega-straight wrap to see the Cantu Can Do and walk away with his second bracelet and $228,867 in prizemoney.

Brandon Cantu with his second WSOP Bracelet, friends, railbirds and Grandfather that stood by his side for the whole final table (photo courtesy of http://www.pokerroad.com)

Well I busted the tourney and headed straight to the Rio while listening to 30 Seconds To Mars looped (really emo, self-hating, wanna slit your wrist stuff) with the volume booming so loudly my BOSE headphones were close to bursting!

Once back at the Rio I moped round telling anyone I could my bad beat story, and after coping the frankly I don’t give a damn expression from GG he asked me if I wanted to head Downtown to be wing-man for Dave King. I choose to join the fight to get DK hooked up, and Donnie also joined us.

We arrived at the Golden Nugget and walked through the carpark, pass the pool and then to the middle of the casino floor to hit a crossroad of what to do. Donnie wanted to play BlackJack, GG wanted to play Craps and I (obviously) wanted to play Baccarat. Since Donnie didn’t want to play craps, and either didn’t know how to play baccarat we all sat down at our own blackjack table.

I have no idea why I even sat down at the table because it is definitely –EV for me as I have no clue on any strategy. Donnie and GG just told me what to do and I followed; eventually returning to even after an early down swing. I quit, Donnie continued to grind and GG got stacked.

Over to Craps we went.

Me and GG started our roll pretty well with us both banking some profit before meeting up with some friends as DK had messaged that he would have to ditch us because the girl wanted to ‘stay in’.

We met up with Melissa (our camera girl) and her boyfriend Eddy at the roulette tables and I grinded a small profit before we threw $2 each on the number ten as Donnie quickly slammed down $75 on black.

”Number 10 for the PokerNews crew!”

Bang! The ball bobbled into the ten and we all banked a nice win while we headed back to the Baccarat room so that I could grind the $10 shoe as GG went back to BlackJack. He won what he was losing all back . . . and then lost it all again while I pushed my profits up to the $200 mark. Donnie and GG decided it was time for some old fashioned poker and they sat down at an uncapped $1-2 No Limit Holdem table.

Donnie and GG in action

I railed them for a while before returning to Craps to take my profit up to $350 for the night as we rolled past 4am. Back to poker I returned to see GG playing like a complete nutter as Donnie grinded a steady profit. After GG pushed all in dark for around the 100 bb mark and won some and lost some he cashed out to head to craps. I sat with Donnie for a little bit more before heading to join GG.

We stood near the craps table for nearly three minutes waiting before GG walked over to us.

”I’m done”
“Ok, craps it is then”
“No . . . I mean I’m done!”

With GG dropping the last of what he had in just eight hands of Blackjack we made our way home just as the sun was starting to rise. I booked a $350 win, Donnie was even to up and GG . . . well GG advised me not to repeat how much he had dropped . . . so let’s just say it was between $5 and $5000 . . . I’ll let you be the judge!

Another day off . . . and another tournament to be played!

I decided last night while playing Chinese poker with the guys that I would play the $330 Venetian Deep Stack instead of the HORSE at Binions or a cheaper deep stack at the Golden Nugget.

Playing Chinese Poker with the boys – my balla $1 roll, setting our hands, showdown

I took my seat and noticed that my table was a mix of old men and young kids around my age with more then half wearing dark shades and / or listening to an iPod. Leaked some chips early before taking down a multi-way pot with A♦ 4♦ after opening to 250 and getting four callers, and then continuing with a bet of 550 on an Ace-high flop. I flashed my Ace to try and build a tight image and finished the level with over 13,000.

During the next orbit I kick my stack up a little before encountering this hand. It folded round to the small blind who completed, and I checked my option with Q♥ 10♥. The flop fell 10♦ 7♥ 8♦ and I bet 225, only to be check-raised to 500. I make the call and then call 1,500 on the turn when it drops the 9♥. The river of course bricked on my nineteen-outer when it fell the 5♠ and I folded for 3,000. The small blind showed me A♥ A♣ which didn’t make me feel any better as I the pot was definitely up for grabs.

Back to starting stack I took down a few small pots to climb back to 15,200 before I bumped it to 750 on the button with 9♣ 8♦ following a limper during the 100-200-25 level. The limper called and checked the flop of 10♦ 8♥ 9♦ over to me. I bet out 1,100, got check-raised to 3,000 and I slid in a stack to put my opponent all in. He insta-called and I thought I was in a world of hurt until he turned over 7♥ 7♦. The turn and river bricked and I was up to 28,675, and finished the level on over 30,000 after taking down pots with Queens, Ace-Queen and King-Jack.

I ran a bluff with the nut-straight draw and slipped down to 22,150 and then lost a few pots when my Jacks were outflopped etc to slip down to 20,000. During the next level of 300-600-50 I played one of the most retarded hands ever – firstly I try to button steal with 5♠ 2♠ and am shoved on by the big blind (didn’t know he was so short as he was hidden by the dealer in seat one) and priced into call. Now down to 14,000 I call a preflop raise of 1,600 in the cutoff with J♣ 10♣, before the button makes it 6,000 total. This guy had been re-raising with terrible and marginal hands, and consequently wanted to try and stop-n-go him on any board.

Making the call and seeing the flop of Q♣ 10♥ 9♥, there wasn’t too much I could have asked for without flopping the nuts, and therefore I moved the rest of stack into the middle. I was (obviously) snapped off by a set of Queens, but after turning a flush draw and rivering my straight I was back to 31,700.

The table broke straight after that hand (phew) and I played yet another marginal hand on my new table when I opened K♠ 10♠ from the cutoff, only to be three-bet to 4,050 from the small blind by this young internet kid. I tanked for over three minutes and made the call to see the flop of 10♥ 8♥ 3♠ fall down and a continuation bet of 5,850 follow. I tanked for even longer this time before making it 18,000 more on top. He started moaning and groaning about how sick it was that I had flatted him with Aces and he laid his Queens down. I showed him the King and raked in the pot to soar to over 42,000.

I pushed to 46,000 during the next level when I called a 3bb all in with A♥ 9♥ and value-bet my rivered flush when the small blind also joined in. She called and I thanked her for her chips as the all in player exited. During the 500-1000-100 level I limped behind an under-the-gun limper with 8♥ 8♦ along with three others before the big blind made it an additional 7,000 on top. Only three of us would see the checked flop of 6♥ 5♠ K♦ and when the 8♠ fell on the turn the preflop aggressor fired 15,000. I moved all in for 19,000 more and he folded, and just like that I was up to 75,400 in chips.

I moved tables once again and slowly began to slip until I called another 3bb all in with 5♠ 5♥ out of the big blind, and checked it down with the small blind to see me table the best hand, and the jump to 81,100 in chips.

Forced to move again, I sat down and fluffed one flop following my preflop raise until this hand came up. This old dude raised to 3,500 with blinds at 800-1,600-200 from under the gun, and was met with a call from an online player as well as from me in the cutoff with J♦ J♣. The flop fell down J♠ 2♦ 2♠ and the old dude checked, the online player fired 7,200, I raised to 15,000 and the old dude shipped it in. Online player folded and I double-fist-pump-snap called to see the old dude tabled A♥ 2♥ and a lovely 150k pot looking at being shipped to me as we go to dinner.

”Hi Tim, this is God. Just letting you know that I don’t think you really deserve having the chip lead with 90 to go until the money from the original 957 starters. Oh, and by the way, I don’t think you really need the US$68k first prize either . . . talk soon mate!”

Of course the 2♣ fell on the river to shatter what hopes I had of shipping a (relative) huge score while here in Vegas to send me to dinner absolutely tilted, but still with a shot as my 38,800 remaining chips were only a handful of pots under average.

After lying on the steps in front of the Venetian for the majority of the dinner break to try and cool my head I headed back to the table, but only lasted seven more hands when the old dude that one-outered limped from late position and I checked the big blind with J♣ 10♣. The flop fell down J♦ 10♦ 9♣ and I check-called 3,500 to see the 4♠ fall on the turn.

I checked, old dude bet out 6,000 and I check-raised all in for 34,400 more. Old dude called and tabled Q♦ 8♦ for a flopped straight and flush re-draw, and when I saw the K♣ land on the river I jumped and walked out the door in 181st place.

Venetian Deep Stack Extravaganza III – $330 NLH Chip Stack Graph

I was really happy with the way I accumulated chips and played some particular pots, but at the end of the day I’m solely disappointed in the one-outer I copped.

Four times in my poker career I’ve hit a crossroad; and each time I’ve fallen on the wrong side of it – the WSOP Main Event bubble, the Vic Champs Final Table bubble, the Aussie Millions bubble and now this one!

Some of the beats that you can cop can do your head in, but I’m just sick of being on the wrong end of them at the wrong time – it nearly wants to make me puke and give up!

All in all, there isn’t much I can do expect knuckle down, analyse my game and take a seat in the next one that comes along.

For the first time I was scheduled on with Marc Convey and his onslaught of British humour as we battled back on forth like the old guard and convict relationship of yesteryear.

Covering Event 41 – $5,000 No Limit Hold’em Shootout we were thinking it would be a relatively light day with blogging duties mainly consisting of colour stories and the occasional hand.

280 players started the shootout and thirty would sneak through after defeating their table in a sit-n-go format; Barney Boatman, David ‘The Dragon’ Pham, Jennifer Harman, Mark Teltscher, Neil Channing and Phil Ivey all made it through to day two to see us end the night fairly early.

The following day saw us come back with five tables of six with the winner progressing through to the five-handed final table.

One table sparked particular interest as it included Barny Boatman, Phil Ivey and Jennifer Harman but it was obvious who everyone was cheering for.

During one level Ivey took off his hat and put it on the table. As players went to break he headed out to the back parking lot to rest up, and on return he was wearing an identical black Full Tilt hat . . . I wanted the idle one!

I talked to Amanda Leatherman about stealing it from me, but after Ivey lost a race to be left with only 7,500 in chips (blinds at 1,500-3,000) he put both hats on in preparation to go – the end result . . . he was sitting on 200,000 about three orbits later.

Phil Ivey and my hat

So I waved goodbye the idea of having in my possession Ivey’s (spare and one of many) hat, but was able to share a 45-second conversation with him.

(in reference to Barny Boatman returning late from a 20-minute break)
”You know he could have gone to dinner”
“What do you mean?”
“Well it was a scheduled dinner break, and he may not have realised that we were just taking 20-minutes”
“Oh . . . well we’ll wait for him for another 5-minutes and then start playing”

Yep . . . that is all . . . and that’s enough!

As we hit 9pm I was sent to cover the Event 44 – Seven Card Razz while Change had to pick up Pauly from the airport.

I only blogged several hands as it was mostly timed with dinner break and once done there I was straight over to help Eric on the final table of Event 39 – $1,500 No Limit Hold’em.

I was on the floor running hands for him, so that it was easier for him (and to of course by brownie points off him if I need to be driven anyway). We firstly saw Alex Jacob donk off a chip lead followed by Brandon Cantu before Ray Foley took home the gold and the $657,969 first prize.

With no notables at the Event 41 final table apart from Danny Wong, it was always going to be a boring final table apart from the fact that it may finish relatively early as it was only five-handed.

As I started to set up my laptop etc Marc strolled in to take a seat beside me. Then out of the blue, GG comes walking in with a little pace behind him.

”Hey, I need a favour”
“I need someone to work day two of the Seniors event and this shootout doesn’t really need the both of you”
“I’ll pay you double for the day, and buy you dinner”
“Please . . . “

Since this was Marc’s last shift for the series I decided to take the fall and stuck my hand up to put myself through the pain and torture of watching 50-plus year old’s limp-fold, min-raise and nit their way through a guaranteed 13-hour day!

‘Minneapolis’ Jim Meehan, Berry Johnston and Barbara Enright all cashed, but in the end it was one event I’d rather not recap and bore you all with!

Ship the day off tomorrow!

After working only one day of the Stud Hi/Lo World Championship I was thrown over to day two of Event 36 – $2,000 No Limit Hold’em.

213 players returned for day two action, but when the chips were bagged and tagged at the end of the day we would still have seventeen; including two woman (not having a go at how woman suck at poker or anything – but this was the first chance of the series to see a woman make the final table).

The day pretty much ran out like a regular donkament with no real notables making it through. I sweated David ‘Chino’ Rheem for a while, and was able to see him play a few interesting hands before being eliminated in 80th place.

Day Three followed the normal pattern of returning with more then one table before battling it down to the final nine before moving to one of the feature tables.

It took just over three hours to reach the final nine with it being one of the most evenly stacked final tables of all time as seven of the players held between a 40-50 big blind stack. Two women also snuck through making it the first WSOP final table of 2009 (ignoring the Ladies Championship) to have a female representative in both Laurence Grondin and Almira Skripchenko holding their head high.

Laurence Grondin and Almira Skripchenko chalk one up for the girls!

Skripchenko would fall in seventh, but Grondin would capture the chip lead and play great poker to eventually exit in third place. Jordan Smith would battle for two hours with Ken Lennaard before his 9♦ 7♦ would flop a flush and hold as he took home a new gold bracelet and $586,212 in prizemoney.

Tomorrow it’s shootout time!

Having to start at 5pm was an absolute blessing after the late night / early morning that we had endured, and what made it better was that Donnie, Mickey and myself were all working the same event – Event 37 – $10,000 World Championship Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo.

Being a World Championship event, the coverage was always going to have to be word-class and by having Mickey and me, along with Marc Hodge on the floor there was no doubt about it!

You probably already know that Stud Hi-Lo is one of the most boring games to blog / report on, and consequently I’m not going to endlessly bore you either. Instead, I’m going to include this funny clip that was launched around the NBA playoffs time.

I find this video absolutely hilarious and when I first saw it on TV I cracked up!

Even if you don’t like this one, there are a bunch more on YouTube featuring puppet Kobe and LeBron as well as Lil Dez.